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The differences between fitness trainers and personal coaches can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a fitness trainer, becoming a personal coach takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a personal coach has an average salary of $43,849, which is higher than the $28,702 average annual salary of a fitness trainer.
The top three skills for a fitness trainer include customer service, front desk and CPR. The most important skills for a personal coach are NCAA, CPR, and role model.
| Fitness Trainer | Personal Coach | |
| Yearly salary | $28,702 | $43,849 |
| Hourly rate | $13.80 | $21.08 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 20% |
| Number of jobs | 23,881 | 26,570 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 37 | 36 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
The job of a fitness trainer is to instruct and motivate individuals and groups in physical activities, including stretching, cardiovascular exercise, and strength training. The typical duties of a fitness trainer include demonstrating how to perform various exercises, guiding them during the exercise to improve fitness and minimize injuries, and monitoring their progress. As a fitness trainer, you are also responsible for explaining and enforcing safety rules on exercise equipment usage, recreational activities, and sports, and giving clients resources and information about weight control, lifestyle issues, and nutrition.
Personal coaches must have effective skills in communication, awareness, listening, and problem-solving. They counsel clients on different professional and personal issues to help with personal projects, goals, and transitions. They typically earn $160-325 per hour.
Fitness trainers and personal coaches have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Fitness Trainer | Personal Coach | |
| Average salary | $28,702 | $43,849 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $41,000 | Between $28,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Kohler Co. | Oracle |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Education |
There are a few differences between a fitness trainer and a personal coach in terms of educational background:
| Fitness Trainer | Personal Coach | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Kinesiology | Kinesiology |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between fitness trainers' and personal coaches' demographics:
| Fitness Trainer | Personal Coach | |
| Average age | 37 | 36 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.8% Female, 40.2% | Male, 47.3% Female, 52.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 5.1% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 5.4% White, 66.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 8% |